Sri Lanka opener Kusal Perera registers fastest fifty of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera scored 51 off 28 deliveries against New Zealand.

New Zealand are in command against Sri Lanka in their all-important final league game of CWC 2023 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. New Zealand have picked up seven Sri Lankan wickets in 20 overs. It was a very ordinary batting display from Sri Lanka. Opener Kusal Perera was the only batter to score a few runs, otherwise, they would have been in the worst position. Kusal played a record-breaking 51-run knock against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Kusal Perera smashed the fastest half-century of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Perera has left behind Australian opener, Travis Head, who scored the previous quickest in 25 balls against the same opposition, New Zealand, in Dharamshala. Kusal Perera took only 22 balls to complete his fifty and smashed nine fours and two sixes in his short innings.

Kusal Perera’s intent in question

Soon after the fifty, Kusal Perera’s temperament came into question as Sri Lanka were losing wickets at one end, but he didn’t stop his attack. In the meantime, Perera lost his wicket to Lockie Ferguson for a rash shot. Mitchell Santner took an easy catch to dismiss Kusal Perera for 51 runs in just 28 balls. He attempted a high-risk shot on an outside off-stump delivery against Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson.

Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum holds the record for the quickest half-century in World Cup cricket. McCullum smashed a 18-ball fifty against England in Wellington during the 2015 World Cup. McCullum bettered his record of 20-ball half-century against Canada at Gros Islet in the 2007 World Cup. Brendon McCullum played a few aggressive knocks in the 2015 World Cup and helped Kiwi team qualify for the finals for the first time.

New Zealand have picked up seven Sri Lankan wickets in 20 overs, and Sri Lanka are reeling under pressure on 111 runs. New Zealand pacer Trent Boult picked up three wickets in his first spell and conceded 30 runs. Mitchell Santner got two wickets after the first powerplay. New Zealand need a big win over Sri Lanka to almost confirm their ticket to the semi-finals and fix their clash against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in semi-finals 1.

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